


pwede ba?

by loldat707



Series: Elibarra Ficsssss (idk anymore) [3]
Category: Noli Me Tangere & Related Works - José Rizal
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Fluff, M/M, Minor Original Character(s), Online Dating, Tagalog Dialogue, We Die Like Men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-15
Updated: 2019-05-31
Packaged: 2020-01-13 16:47:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18473029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/loldat707/pseuds/loldat707
Summary: "Kailangan mo talagang maghanap ng pwedeng ma-jowa, Cris.""Excuse me?"





	1. Sa Asotea

**Author's Note:**

> take pity on me :'>

"Kailangan mo talagang maghanap ng pwedeng ma-jowa, Cris."

Ibarra looks up at Maria Clara, his childhood friend, hand stopping from writing. "Excuse me?"

"Oh, come on. You look so lonely ever since Linares and I got together. Di naman kita iiwan eh, kaso ang clingy mo."

"Di kaya ako clingy." Ibarra huffs, looking back to the paper in front of him. It was no secret he liked Maria Clara for the longest time since they were kids. Recently, the girl talked to him about this and he then realized that it was just admiration for someone who was like his sister. Now, MC was with an underclassman named Alfonso Linares. "I just don't like him. I'm so much better than that douche."

"Douche douche ka pa, inggit ka lang."

"Inggit? Mukha bang maiinggit ako dun? Mas gwapo kaya ako."

MC laughs at that. "But seriously, you need to find someone. It's almost my eighteenth birthday and I don't want you going to the party without a partner. The Great Crisostomo Ibarra, alone in his best friend's debut?"

"That's still in four months, Maria," Ibarra points out. "There's still plenty of time."

"Kailan ka pa maghahanap?" MC counters.

"I can take one of your friends," he muses, twirling his pen around his fingers. His English paper could wait til later, he thinks.

"You know they already have their own dates. You just have to get out there and look for one, okay?"

"Fine, fine. How do you suggest I find one?" Ibarra sighs, putting down the pen and giving MC his full attention.

"Well, I know this online dating app, maybe you can find someone there." MC sits beside Ibarra, nudging him to move a little. "Give me your phone."

Ibarra obliges. After a few minutes, the app is downloaded.

" _Asotea_? As in, the balcony?"

"Yes, do you have a problem with that?" MC raises an eyebrow.

"Wala lang, ang corny kasi."

MC chuckles lightly. "It may be, but it's helpful. Tara, I'll help you set up your profile ngayon."

 

  
"Sige na, kuya!"

"Eh ayoko nga," Elias says, turning away from his sister. Ellie is being persistent again. "It's unnecessary and a waste of time."

"Pero-"

"Hindi, ayoko, end of discussion." Elias continues cooking their dinner, ignoring his sister's annoying whines. He doesn't need anyone, much less a romantic partner. Ellie suddenly thought he ought to have one, and Elias thinks she's being absurd. He never really thought about his love life, far more focused on his studies and taking care of his sister. He has no time for such frivolous things.

"Eh paano yan, I already made you a profile in this dating app." Ellie pouts.

Elias whips around, looking at his sister with wide eyes. _"Ano?"_

Ellie is staring at Elias' phone, scrolling through the app. "Kasi nga, mag-enjoy ka naman sa buhay kahit onti. Tingnan mo oh, marami nang nag-chat sayo."

"Akin na nga yan!" Elias snatches the phone from Ellie's grasp. Why did he tell her his password again?

The app's red and yellow interface allows him to see the people who chatted him. There are five chat boxes, all of which with pictures blurred and username. Ellie stands up from her seat at the table and slings an arm around Elias' shoulders, looking down at the phone.

"Bakit blurred yung profile pictures?"

"Their pictures will be revealed later," Ellie explains, moving her hands in a so-so gesture. "You have to chat with them first and at some point, the app will ask you if you want to see their faces."

"'Di ba scam 'to?" Elias narrows his eyes at the screen suspiciously.

"It's not! Promise, proven and tested."

"Ginamit mo na 'to dati? Without telling me?"

Ellie lets go of her brother, punching his arm freely. "It's not dangerous naman eh. Bilis na! For me, please?" She gives him the puppy eyes. Elias gives her an unimpressed look, even if he knows he would give in eventually. After only a couple of seconds, he sighs.

"Sige na nga, titignan ko mamaya." Elias runs his fingers through his hair. Ellie squeals, delightedly hugging her brother.

"Yun oh!"

"Wait, Ellie, yung tinola!"

 

 

When dinner was done and everything was set for tomorrow, Elias lies down on his bed with a satisfied hum. Ellie had gone to her bedroom an hour ago, the house now silent as the tenants went about their nightly ritual. He closes his eyes slowly. The notification sound of his phone catches his attention. Sighing, he reaches for it on the bedside table, squinting at the bright glare of the screen in the dark.

_Bakit ko nga ulit gagawin 'to?_

Elias opens the app and brings up the chats, scanning the usernames of the people who messaged him. _FlawlessGonzales, Liwanag_sa_Gabi, xXGandangDilagXx, .Señora.Marikit._ —Elias snort at the last one, tapping it.

jowa_ng_bayan: Hi!!! ^_^

Elias ponders for a bit before he types in a reply.

angbangkero: jowa ng bayan? assuming?

He was about to exit the chat box when a new message pops up a second later.

jowa_ng_bayan: excuse me, I didn't criticize your username -.-

angbangkero: di naman kasi katawa-tawa yung akin, e yung sayo oo

jowa_ng_bayan: grabe, why did u even chat back kung pagtatawanan mo lang ako?

angbangkero: i thought you were interesting

jowa_ng_bayan: ay wow, interesting

jowa_ng_bayan: pero tama, interesting ako 😊😉😘

Elias smiles faintly.

angbangkero: joke lang

angbangkero: mayabang ka pala

jowa_ng_bayan: HOY!!! hindi!!! ako!!! mayabang!!! honest lang :)

angbangkero: sus, honest daw

jowa_ng_bayan: promise! cross my heart 😇

Elias rolls on his side, thinking of changing the subject.

angbangkero: bakit gising ka pa? late na ah

jowa_ng_bayan: i'm writing my paper for tomorrow's class 😔🙁

angbangkero: bakit, ngayon lang ba binigay?

jowa_ng_bayan: inde, last week pa 🙁😬

angbangkero: bakit kasi ngayon mo lang ginagawa?

jowa_ng_bayan: pake mo ba? i was distracted a lot 😒🤨

angbangkero: bahala ka nga sa buhay mo

jowa_ng_bayan: talaga! 😤 i can finish this in half an hour naman eh

angbangkero: then why are you still not done?

jowa_ng_bayan: basta!!!!

angbangkero: matutulog na nga ako

jowa_ng_bayan: edi goodnight 😴😴😴

angbangkero: gnight

Elias turns his phone off, grinning to himself. He places it back on the table. He is interesting. He might use the app after all.


	2. Huli Ka

Ibarra thinks it's distasteful how he ended up in the same class as Elias.

No, scratch that, it is absolutely dreadful. How it was even possible that they are classmates in the same advance classes is beyond him. He was pretty sure his grandfather pays for them not to be at least thirty feet within each other's vicinity, but now he doubts if that is true. Anyhow, he finds himself with the man sitting beside him and he had not been so uncomfortable and irritated since seeing Linares visit Maria Clara at the same time he did (which, frankly, was just last Thursday).

"I can't believe my luck." Ibarra groans, thumping his head on his desk. The professor is yet to enter the classroom and for the pass ten minutes, he had been inching away from Elias little by little.

"Can you shut up? You're not the only one who's suffering," Elias snaps at him, hands clasped together on the desk, stance rigid and unwelcoming. Ibarra cannot say what is in the taller man's mind, but he is sure he's cursing him.

The Eibarramendias had always been at odds with Elias' family. Ibarra never thought to ask why, and he doubts they would even tell him. All he knows is that he had been raised to hate Elias' clan, and there's a huge possibility– it could as well be true– that he was also raised that way. So yes, they have known each other for the longest time. He tolerates Elias presence, and he likes to believe the other does as well, but being this close is giving Ibarra the jitters.

"I have freedom of speech, mind you, I can say whatever I want," Ibarra shoots back, sitting properly.

"Can you at least tone it down a little? Panira ka ng araw eh."

Ibarra fumes. "Hindi lang yung araw mo yung nasira, mine as well!"

"Oh! Nagtatagalog ka pa rin pala, I thought going to another country squeezed the remaining nationalism out of you."

" _Putang_ -"

At that point, the professor comes in. Ibarra is left to glare at the smug smirk on Elias' face.

 

 

jowa_ng_bayan: oi

jowa_ng_bayan: oi oi oi oi oi

Elias picks his phone up from his desk, shooting the professor a glance before reading the messages.

angbangkero: what do you want? i'm in class

jowa_ng_bayan: bored akoooooo 😊😁

angbangkero: diba may klase ka?

jowa_ng_bayan: ehhhhhhhhh ang boringggggggggggg 😣☹️😬

angbangkero: anong gusto mong gawin?

Elias puts his phone on his thigh quickly, looking up to the board and writing on his notebook. The professor passes by, barely glancing at him. He trains his eyes back on his phone.

jowa_ng_bayan: let's play 20 questions 😊😊😊

angbangkero: busy ako, in class

jowa_ng_bayan: ehhh sige na sige na 🙁😔☹️

jowa_ng_bayan: i'll spam u until you say yes

jowa_ng_bayan: bilis na

jowa_ng_bayan: can you bear having this handsome man in distress? 😔🙁😟

Elias smiles at the message.

angbangkero: i'm not even sure if you're handsome or not

ang bangkero: haven't seen your picture yet

jowa_ng_bayan: trust me, gwapo ako 😏😝😜

angbangkero: sige na nga. u ask first

Elias turns his phone off, looking back in front just in time for the professor to start talking about some historical event that helped shape the Philippines today. He glances periodically at his phone, hastily pressing the message notification when it popped up.

jowa_ng_bayan: what's ur favorite ulam?

angbangkero: bakit, lulutuin mo ba?

jowa_ng_bayan: secret 😉😉

angbangkero: adobo

angbangkero: what's your real name?

jowa_ng_bayan: walang ganyang tanongggg 😑😑

angbangkero: okay fine. favorite artist?

jowa_ng_bayan: IV OF SPADES 😍❤️

angbangkero: mainstream

jowa_ng_bayan: but their songs are 👌👌👌

jowa_ng_bayan: pets?

angbangkero: none, but i'd like a labrador dog

jowa_ng_bayan: ew dog person 🐕🐾

angbangkero: anong masama sa aso?

jowa_ng_bayan: they're messy and stuff 👀👐

jowa_ng_bayan: ako naman magtatanong 😊😊

jowa_ng_bayan: why did u use this app?

Elias takes a moment before replying.

angbangkero: my sis made an acc for me and forced me to use it so here i am

angbangkero: and you? why did you use this app?

jowa_ng_bayan: i'm looking for someone to go to my best friend's debut with ☺️😁

jowa_ng_bayan: she actually told me about this app

jowa_ng_bayan: how far are you willing to go with this?

Elias lets his thumbs hover over the screen in silent thinking. _Hanggang saan nga ba?_

"Mr. Elias! Mind sharing with us who you're chatting with?"

_Patay._

 

  
Ibarra frowns as he waits for a reply to come. angbangkero had been quiet for half an hour now and it's lunch time already.

"Bakit ka nakatitig sa phone mo?" Ibarra looks up just in time to see Maria Clara take her seat directly in front of him, a tray in hand. He takes his phone and puts it in his pocket.

"Nothing, may inaantay lang."

"Hm, sa _Asotea_ ba yan?" MC asks, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. Ibarra laughs.

"Yeah, I'm waiting for a reply."

"Ayieee, nakahanap ka na agad? That's fast," MC teases.

"Bored lang ako," Ibarra replies, blushing lightly. He takes his sandwich, unwrapping it and taking a bite.

"Sus. If you're bored you could have just chatted me."

"But what about your precious time with the Extraordinary Alfonso Linares?" Ibarra makes kissy faces. MC throws a tissue at his face, making him laugh.

"Who are you chatting ba?"

"Basta. I'll tell you when I know."

"It's good to see that you're finally looking for another person." MC ruffles Ibarra's hair playfully. "Akala ko you'll always be stuck crushing on me."

Ibarra pouts, swatting MC's hand away and running his fingers through his hair in an attempt to fix it. "Oo na, naging crush kita before, so what?"

"Nakapunta ka na ng Europe at nakabalik tapos gusto mo pa rin ako? What a phase."

Ibarra kicks MC's leg lightly. "I was young and stupid."

"You're still young and plenty stupid, Cris." MC shakes her head, smiling. "Right, do you want to come with this weekend? Gala lang."

"Para saan yung gala?"

"Anniversary namin ni Linares. It's just an outing with some friends, kakain tapos arcade. G ka?"

"Sino-sino kasama?"

"The usual suspects." MC grins. "And possibly a few more people."

"Libre mo?"

"Sure! Basta sasama ka."

"Okay, sige, sama ako."

"Yes!"

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yung sagot nila based lang sa tingin kong gusto nila uwu :'>


	3. Gala

Ibarra taps his foot impatiently as he waits for Maria Clara to show up. He had been waiting at McDonald's for forty minutes now and MC should have been there thirty minutes ago.

 _Asan na ba yung babaeng yun?_ He thinks, checking his phone. No messages. He sighs and puts the device on the table face down.

His fries is almost gone and his coke float already empty. Ibarra surveys the scene through the clear windows, taking note of the people walking by. A man with a blue backpack. A woman with her baby in a stroller. A girl running towards an ice cream shop. The mall is surprisingly populated this early in the morning, he thinks, but he doesn't have any basis on the number of people there every morning.

The girl almost trips as she nears the shop. Thankfully, a guy manages to grab hold of her before she falls. The girl thanks him and he says something before he walks away leisurely.

Wait. Ibarra knows that guy...

"Cris! Sorry! I didn't expect that there would be so much traffic early morning." Ibarra looks up, seeing Maria Clara panting as she sits beside him. His best friend reaches for a fry but he swats her hand away.

"I've been waiting here for some time, the least you could do was text me," the brunet chides.

"Sorry na nga." MC pouts.

"Where are the others?"

"They're on their way, stuck in traffic daw."

MC leaves the table to order something. Just then, the guy from earlier enters with a girl hugging his arm.

"Ate Clara!" The girl exclaims, quickly letting go and hugging Maria Clara. Ibarra doesn't get MC's reaction as his eyes were glued to the guy.

"Ellie! How are you?"

"Okay lang po, I had some things I have to work with though and-"

_"Bakit ka nandito?"_

Ibarra's sudden question makes the two having a reunion look at him. The problem is, the other early customers look at him too. The young man feels the blood rush to his cheeks, yet he stood his ground.

"Just as I expected, you'll make a scene." Elias clicks his tongue, almost amused. He grabs Ibarra's arm, forcing him to seat. The other patrons goes back to minding their own business and their female companions moves to the counter.

"Why are you here?" Ibarra hisses. Elias sighs.

"Look at the two of them and tell me if they aren't close. Besides, do I even look like I want to be here?" The man looks at him expectantly, waiting for a response. If Ibarra squints his eyes, it almost seems like a plea for a truce. He considers this. What could he get out of a truce? A peaceful afternoon, an uncomfortable company. He could say something that his dramatic self would be pleased of, but that would ruin Maria Clara's day and he doesn't want that.

"Be at your best behavior," Ibarra opts to say, looking away.

"Maybe you need to remind yourself that."

Ibarra kicks him from under the table. Elias smirks smugly.

_I want to rip that stupid smirk off his face._

 

  
"Tara, Timezone tayo!"

The latter of Maria Clara's guests finally came. Ibarra's earlier outburst didn't seem to affect anyone, which he's secretly relieved of. After having brunch and scolding their fashionably late friends ("Sus, Cris, maaga ka lang kasi akala mo nandyan na si Maria!" "Shut up!"), the young brown-haired man musters up enough bravado to gesticulate and prod everyone to play.

His faux eagerness is well accepted, excited murmur and ecstatic talk erupting their small group as they walked to the said arcade. Ibarra looks around, taking note that Elias and his sister lags behind a bit, Ellie looking immersed in a conversation with Sinang and Victoria. He realizes he stared a little too long when the taller man catches his gaze, making him swallow involuntarily and look away.

To nobody's surprise, Maria Clara procures four TimeZone cards from her purse. She gives them out, reminding them that they have to load it themselves. She ends up with Ibarra, Ellie, and Elias. The siblings didn't seem to mind it at all. Ibarra lets some tension in his shoulders let loose when Elias flashes him a small, truce smile.

From there on out, they played Pac-Man, the Walking Dead, some racing, and even childish shooting games. Ibarra admits grudgingly that he's having fun, and Elias was an okay guy to hang out with.

"Just dance!" Maria Clara exclaims as they got closer to the said game. Elias turns to Ibarra.

"Tara, you versus me," he says with a smirk.

"I don't dance," Ibarra replies, already shying away from the dance machine. Elias grabs his arm and pulls him towards it.

"Sundan mo lang yung display and try to get with the beat," the man instructs, pushing him in front of the television. MC and Ellie stand next to the machine, egging Ibarra on. He feels his cheeks heat up.

"Di nga ako sumasayaw!" Ibarra tries again but Elias is already swiping the card.

"Kaya mo yan." Elias grins, shuffling through the songs. He picks one and gets into position.

The first song is easy enough that Ibarra didn't have that much difficulty to going along with it. After that, the songs seem to progressively get harder to follow through or that's just him not being that much physically fit as he would like to be. At some point of What Makes You Beautiful he just stops dancing, choosing to collapse just under the television. MC and Ellie moved to another game two songs ago.

Elias keeps dancing, eyes not leaving the screen. His limbs are loose and he seems so relaxed as he dances. Ibarra could say he's having fun.

He watches as Elias moves with the beat. He looks graceful in his own way, gliding and shuffling. His muscles contract and expand underneath his shirt, his calves and thighs tensing and releasing. Ibarra finds newfound respect for the taller man as the song finishes.

"Pagod ka na agad after just four songs?" Elias taunts playfully, leaning over to Ibarra. The brunet snaps out of his stupor, looking up.

"I told you I don't dance." He gets out of the way for Elias to take a water bottle from his bag, drinking.

"Weak."

Ibarra scoffs. "Wow, okay." He stands up, pushing Elias further into the arcade. "Karaoke, tara."

"Bakit, magaling ka ba kumanta? You don't seem to be that good."

"Excuse me, people always say I sound different when I sing," Ibarra defends. He suddenly feels determined to prove Elias wrong.

They got one of the small booths. Ibarra leaves Elias alone for a while, fetching Maria Clara and Ellie. Moments later, they crowd inside the booth as Ibarra looks over the songbook for a song to sing.

"Cris really has a wonderful voice," Maria Clara boasts, clapping her hands excitedly, "he used to sing me asleep. It's very soothing."

Ibarra tries not to flush at the compliment, but who is he kidding? He relishes the attention.

Elias arches an eyebrow. "Aren't you just being biased?" He leans back on his seat.

"I'm sure Kuya Cris has a good singing voice," Ellie pipes in, elbowing his brother who grunts at the action. Ibarra ignores their banter. He enters a song and Elias snorts.

"IV of Spades?"

The first beats of Hey Barbara fills the small room. Ibarra focuses on the words now displaying on the screen, grip firm around the microphone as he starts to sin.

 _Hey, Barbara!_  
_Maybe I can get you some wine_  
_My Sylvia!_  
_How can I say that you are mine?_  
_Hey, Beverly!_  
_Eyes are blue from what I can see_  
_Hey, Stephanie!_  
_So you wanna dance with me?_

He's remotely aware of the others watching him. MC is grinning proudly, shooting Elias a look of 'I told you so.' Ellie is humming along. And the man just stares at him, but Ibarra makes sure he doesn't flinch or anything unbecoming, so he continues singing, not paying attention.

When he finishes, the two girls clap while Elias reluctantly does the same. Ibarra can't stop the prideful smirk that settles on his face.

"Told you so," he singsongs, putting the microphone down and taking the songbook again.

Elias sighs. "Oo na, magaling ka kumanta, happy?"

Ibarra beams, and basks at the admission. They spent the rest of their time in TimeZone singing and laughing at Ellie's horrible imitation of Beyonce.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> parang filler chapter idk
> 
> idk what i'm doing :'>


	4. Antok

jowa_ng_bayan: psst

jowa_ng_bayan: psst psst

angbangkero: ano?

jowa_ng_bayan: bored ako 😁😁😁

angbangkero: matulog ka na

jowa_ng_bayan: ehhh 😟🙁

jowa_ng_bayan: i slept earlier this afternoon 😁

angbangkero: di nga

jowa_ng_bayan: oo ngaaaaa 😒😬😤

angbangkero: alanganin tulog mo, may pasok bukas

jowa_ng_bayan: so what? 😒😕

angbangkero: so you'll probably be tired tom

jowa_ng_bayan: ikaw din may pasok bukas! tulog ka na bb 😘💕😬

angbangkero: bb?

jowa_ng_bayan: baby! ayaw mo?

jowa_ng_bayan: anong gusto mo? sugar? honey? sweetie?

angbangkero: tumigil ka na nga, matulog ka na

jowa_ng_bayan: sige na nga, i'll sleep na 😁😪

jowa_ng_bayan: goodnight sweetie 😘😘😘

angbangkero: gnight

 

 

Elias enters the classroom yawning. He had a late night, but he always has late nights. With only him and his sister living in a house, he had to do most of the chores ("Ang tamad mo, Ellie." "Masipag ka lang!"). He spent most of yesterday helping their neighbor, Mang Tasyo, carry some boxes to and from his house sinxe the old man was clearing up space. Elias didn't mind helping, but it did leave him exhausted than he normally would be.

He slides onto his seat, glancing at Ibarra who has his face buried in his forearms. It seems like he's not the only person who had a late night.

His arrival seem to have woken the brunet. Ibarra raises his head slowly, squinting at Elias. Elias chuckles at the small pool of saliva on the table from Ibarra's drooling.

"You have drool on your face," Elias points out. Ibarra blinks at him. Elias sighs, taking some tissues from his bag and handing them to Ibarra. When the brunet still stares at him, he goes on to wipe Ibarra's face.

The motion seem to finally wake Ibarra's brain up and he jerks back. Elias moves his hand away, but still offers the tissues. Ibarra narrows his eyes at it suspiciously before taking some. Elias rolls his eyes and looks around the classroom, which is still mostly empty.

"You could have just told me," Ibarra mutters. Elias turns his head towards him again, watching as he wipes the table.

"I told you. You weren't paying attention."

Ibarra huffs, a faint blush on his cheeks. "Considering that I just woke up, I'm not responsible for anything I do for the first ten minutes of my regained consciousness."

Elias rolls his eyes again, looking away. "Yeah, right."

The other guy is silent again. Elias doesn't say anything for the next few moments, wondering why there wasn't any reply. He looks at Ibarra again and finds him asleep once again, his cheek leaning on the palm of his hand, still clutching the tissues in the other. Elias shakes his head, an amused smile making its way to his lips.

The teacher comes in. Elias elbows Ibarra as he stands up. The brunet falls face first on the table, hissing when his nose collided with the wood. He stands up as well, clutching his nose and sending Elias a glare. He merely sighed.

Class goes by, Elias glancing at Ibarra every now and then and noticing that he is trying (and failing) to keep awake. He nudges Ibarra awake when the teacher is writing something on the board.

"Hoy, gising," Elias whispers. Ibarra groans sleepily in response, burrowing his face further into his arms. Elias shakes him again with more vigor. This time, Ibarra opens his eyes, sitting back up properly.

Elias spends the next hour multitasking on waking Ibarra when he dozes off and writing down his notes. He wonders to himself why he even bothers to wake the sleepy bastard. At the end of class, he leaves Ibarra to sleep, taking his bag and leaving the classroom.

 

  
Elias glances at his watch as he waits for the last bell to ring.

_Three... Two... One...._

The bell rings. The English teacher reminds them of their assignment as her students rise and scurry to the door. Elias slings his bag over his shoulder, standing up and making his way out. He pulls his phone out, scrolling through his message when someone taps him on the shoulder. He turns his head, seeing Ibarra standing just behind him. The brunet is clutching a pile of books, looking as tired as he did this morning.

"Do my eyes deceive me?" Elias asks mockingly, pocketing his phone. Ibarra grips his books a little tighter and seems to be resisting the urge to roll his eyes. Elias raises an eyebrow at that.

"Yeah, I know, I don't usually... talk to you," Ibarra starts awkwardly, "but I really need those notes from this morning."

Elias blinks at him. He looks around them (they are in a hallway, after all) then back at Ibarra. "Why don't you ask our classmates?"

"I can't find any of them, but I saw you so I thought I'd ask you." Ibarra bites his lower lip, worryingit between his teeth. "Please, I need those notes."

Elias stares at him. Where did the arrogant, snarky Crisostomo Ibarra go? Who is this person asking him for notes? Is this the effect of a late night on the said brunet?

Ibarra huffs, snapping at him, "Pwede ba? Stop staring and lend me the goddamn notes."

_Ayun._

"Give me a reason why I should lend you my notes." Elias folds his arms. His notes weren't too nicely written, but they're still notes and he can read his own handwriting. He doesn't know if Ibarra can.

Ibarra sighs tiredly. "I'll make libre ng lunch tomorrow."

Elias thinks about it. "Three days."

"What?"

"Lunch ko pang tatlong araw, libre mo."

"Okay, fine. I just need those notes."

Elias grins. "Tara, nasa locker ko."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oof late post saka maiksi to
> 
> 1\. nawalan kami ng wifi for 2 weeks :'<
> 
> 2\. writer's block
> 
> 3\. i really think ibarra is the "i can handle going to sleep past my bedtime and wake up early but end up being tired in class" person
> 
> 4\. i think elias is used to late nights :3


	5. Lunch?

The idea of lunch with Elias is making him nervous, for lack of better word. It is a lot of things, but Ibarra doesn't want to delve too much to what those things are. Besides, he'd known the guy for a long time (though not as friends) that it's almost silly to be nervous.

He goes out of his way to seek Elias. Ordinarily he wouldn't, but then again, it has been an especially inordinate week. Ibarra spots him coming out of the science lab and he swerves and sidesteps his way to the tall brunet.

"Elias!" He calls out as he gets closer. Elias looks up and around, spotting Ibarra coming. The guy furrows his eyebrows. Ibarra halts in front of him.

"Payback lunch," Ibarra says in a way of explanation, shifting his weight between the balls of his feet. He's buzzing with energy today, but he figures it's because of the coffee he had two hours ago. He can't stay still though.

"Ah." Elias recognition clicks in his eyes as he stares at Ibarra, nodding. "Starting today?"

"Yep. Tara na." Ibarra takes Elias by his wrist, pulling him in the direction of the cafeteria without another glance. "I hope you don't mind that we have other people joining us."

"Uh, okay lang."

Ibarra dearly hopes he doesn't mess anything up with everyone looking at them as they pass.

 

  
Everything that's happening right now is weirding Elias out.

He didn't expect that three days of free lunch would turn into sitting with Ibarra and his friends during free period long after Ibarra already finished his payment for a bunch of crappy notes. He also gets more waves and greetings when he walks down the hallway. It's nice for a while, but he wants to go back to mixing with the crowd, mixing in with the background. He so rarely got any attention before, people either scared or respecting his privacy. Now he has trouble getting to class without being sidetracked by some person who wants to hang out with him or get his number or hey, you're great at math, can you tutor me?

It's absurd.

For all the dorkiness and inelegance Ibarra seems to possess, Elias knows the guy loves– and probably craves– attention. He's been popular with the crowd even when they were children and Elias never cared because that's how it is. He never paid much attention to it because if someone else is popular, no one would notice folks who likes their privacy. Like him.

It makes sense now, Elias muses to himself as he walks to the cafeteria, Ibarra being so dramatic with just about everything. He's so loud and blunt and always has a flourish for overreacting, and did he mention that Ibarra has a thing for the dramatics?

"Elias!" Something wraps around his arm and before he could push it away, he realizes it's Maria Clara, holding onto his arm like a koala.

"You have got to stop doing that," Elias deadpans with a sigh, easily steering the girl through the crowd of mingling students, but making no move to untangle himself from her.

Here's another other thing that weirds him out: only a week after he started hanging out (eating lunch) with Ibarra, Maria Clara had quickly leeched upon him in a way that could rival his sister. It was uncomfortable and it still is, but he's learning to adapt to it.

MC pouts at him. "But then you won't wait for me."

Elias half-winces and half-smirks at that, remembering. "I didn't hear you that time. I was preoccupied."

"Liar." MC squeezes his bicep repeatedly. "And besides, I do it 'cause I wanna get hold of these guns."

"Ew, Clara." Elias laughs. MC finally lets go of his arm to go order something for them ("Ililibre kita." "Okay lang, wag-" "Don't you dare refuse." Elias shuts up.) so he sits down on the usual table.

The others aren't coming, so he have heard, except for Ibarra. Which is fine, because he also feels uncomfortable and weirded out to be suddenly surrounded by people who at another time wouldn't bat an eyelash to acknowledge his presence. At least with Ibarra, there is a degree of familiarity with the bickering and insults which aren't too lethal to actually hurt. It's fun, actually, he recently discovers. Ibarra acts funnily to taunts and teasing.

Said guy from his thoughts now sit in front of him, dropping a bunch of books and other student paraphernalia on the table. Elias thinks Ibarra's stuff is a little too excessive to actually be needed.

"Oof, I just got out from Miss Chen's class and I got to admit that even if I'm sipsip to her, it doesn't mean that I like her one bit," Ibarra starts just as he is unwrapping his Subway sandwich.

Here is another thing of the list of weird: he and Ibarra had reached some point of truce after the whole Timezone and notes thing and surprisingly, they're getting along well. Lunch these days almost always comprises of Ibarra complaining about someone or something, ranging from classmates to teachers to the government and then to aliens. Sometimes it devolves to arguments and debates, which only pushes Elias on to taunt Ibarra more. Elias settles in for a rant session.

MC comes back with food, sitting beside Elias as she nods along to Ibarra's choice of topic today, which is apparently how Miss Chen and extra credit work does not match up. Elias munches on his fries silently, listening to the guy but zoning out before long, looking around the cafeteria and taking in the general noisiness of everything.

"Tapos she was like, 'Mr. Ibarra, would you like to–' hoy, Elias, nakikinig ka ba?"

Elias blinks, settling his gaze back at Ibarra. "Oo."

"Di nga. You were zoning out." Ibarra huffs, taking a bite of his sandwich.

"Something wrong, Elias?"

"Hindi, wala lang."

Ibarra gives him an odd look before he continues his story. Elias thinks about how different his life was a week ago, when he has lunch outside, sitting down under a tree and enjoying soltitude. He looks over MC and Ibarra, and decides that maybe this is okay. The weird would eventually be normal.

 

 

  
angbangkero: hoy

angbangkero: matulog ka na

jowangbayan: matulog ka na 😛

angbangkero: may gagawin pa ako

jowangbayan: then why r u chatting me? 😒😒

jowangbayan: miss mo ko no? 😊😁😘

angbangkero: miss ka dyan, dami mong alam

jowangbayan: admit it :b

angbangkero: magooffline na ako, gnight

jowangbayan: goodnight sweetie~ 💕😘

**Author's Note:**

> hello!! i'm not sure how long this fic will be but i'm excited to see how this will turn out!
> 
> please leave a kudo and a comment ^_^ they keep me happy and bright


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